Marine Protected Areas: the challenge of becoming true “banks of the sea”

As of today, less than 10% of the Mediterranean Sea is protected, and the cumulative surface of fully protected areas (no-go, no-take, or no-fishing zones) represents only 0.04% of the basin — an extremely limited figure, overshadowed by the mounting threats facing the rest of the Mediterranean. 

Human-driven pressures (such as maritime traffic, bycatch, collisions, pollution, and more) have led to a dramatic decline in marine and coastal populations. Over 78 marine species and 158 coastal species are currently at risk of extinction, while all marine habitats are in an unfavourable state of conservation. 

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 requires Member States to protect 30% of their maritime space by 2030, of which 10% must be strictly protected. This should be achieved through a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) that are coherent and ecologically connected. 

Marine Protected Areas must become true “banks of the sea” — safeguarding essential habitats, enabling the recovery of fish stocks, enhancing resilience to the impacts of climate change, and ensuring sustainable economic and social development. Equally crucial is the creation of ecologically connected networks of MPAs, which can help strengthen biodiversity across the basin. 

Among the different types of Marine Protected Areas, two key categories stand out:

ISRA (Important Shark and Ray Areas)

Areas designated by the IUCN to protect threatened sharks and rays. Implementing protection and management measures in these areas is essential to safeguard the diversity of shark and ray species. In the Mediterranean, the first ISRAs were designated in 2023, many of them in Italian waters, aimed at protecting various species such as the blue shark, mobula rays, and the grey shark. In WWF’s report - https://www.wwf.it/cosa-facciamo/pubblicazioni/16-aree-per-salvare-squali-e-razze/ - you can explore the 16 ISRAs currently identified in the Mediterranean Sea.

OECMs (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures)

OECMs represent an important opportunity to advance integrated ocean management, as they require greater cooperation across different sectors (such as fisheries, energy, shipping, conservation, as well as other economic sectors) to ensure that current and future threats are effectively addressed, and to guarantee proper monitoring and evaluation of conservation outcomes. 

The four key criteria for defining these areas under the CBD are: 

• They must not already be recognized or designated as Protected Areas. 

• They must have legitimate governance authority and be actively managed. 

• They must deliver effective and enduring in situ biodiversity conservation outcomes. 

• They must support associated ecosystem functions and services, as well as cultural, spiritual, socioeconomic, and other locally relevant values. 

With the 2030 deadline approaching, if we are to safeguard the Mediterranean’s rich biodiversity, strengthen its resilience in the face of the growing threat of climate change, and ensure that Blue Capital continues to provide the ecosystem services essential to our economic survival and well-being, we cannot afford to lose more time.